將來的盼望
1耶和華說：「牧養我子民的首領有禍了！因為他們殘害、驅散我草場上的羊群。」 2以色列的上帝耶和華這樣斥責那些牧養祂子民的首領：「你們驅散我的羊群，沒有照顧他們。看啊，我必因你們的惡行而懲罰你們。這是耶和華說的。 3我要把我倖存的子民從我流放他們去的各地召集起來，領他們回到故土，使他們生養眾多，人丁興旺。 4我要設立首領照顧他們，使他們不再擔驚受怕，也不再迷失。這是耶和華說的。」
5耶和華說：「看啊，時候將到，我要為大衛興起一個公義的苗裔，使他執掌王權。他必秉公行義，治國有方。 6在他掌權的日子，猶大必得拯救，以色列必安享太平並被稱為『耶和華是我們的公義』。」
7耶和華說：「看啊，時候將到，那時人不再憑把以色列人帶出埃及的耶和華起誓， 8而是憑把他們從北方之地和流放的列國領回來的永活耶和華起誓。他們必在自己的國土上安居樂業。」
9談及那些先知，
我的心都碎了，
我的骨頭都顫抖。
因為耶和華和祂聖言的緣故，
我好像不勝酒力的醉漢。
10這裡到處是不忠貞的人，
他們行為邪惡，濫用權力。
大地因受咒詛而悲哀，
曠野的草場都枯乾了。
11耶和華說：「先知和祭司都不敬虔，
我甚至看見他們在我的聖殿裡行惡。
12因此，他們必被趕到黑暗中，
在濕滑的路上跌倒，
因為我必在他們受罰的日子降災禍給他們。
這是耶和華說的。
13我看見撒瑪利亞的先知行可憎之事，
他們靠巴力說預言，
引誘我的子民以色列走入歧途。
14我也看見耶路撒冷的先知行為可惡，
他們通姦，謊話連篇，
慫恿惡人，
以致無人悔過自新。
在我眼中，他們就像所多瑪人，耶路撒冷人像蛾摩拉人一樣敗壞。
15因此，關於這些先知，萬軍之耶和華說，
『看啊，我要使他們吃苦艾，
喝毒水，因為褻瀆之風從耶路撒冷的先知那裡蔓延，
遍及全境。』」
16萬軍之耶和華對耶路撒冷人說：「你們不要聽信這些先知的預言，他們使你們充滿虛假的盼望，他們的預言是自己的想象，不是耶和華說的。 17他們不斷對藐視我的人說，『耶和華說你們必安享太平。』他們對那些執迷不悟的人說，『災禍不會降到你們身上。』
18「然而，他們誰曾站在耶和華面前看見並聽見祂說話呢？
他們誰曾留心聽祂的話呢？
19看啊，耶和華的烈怒像暴風一樣襲來，
像旋風一樣吹到惡人頭上。
20耶和華不完成祂心中的計劃決不息怒。
將來你們會清楚地明白這一切。
21「我沒有差遣這些先知，
他們卻妄自行動；
我沒有對他們說話，
他們卻亂發預言。
22他們若曾站在我面前聽我說話，
早就向我的子民宣告我的話，
使他們改邪歸正了。」
23耶和華說：「我難道不是遠近無處不在的上帝？」 24耶和華說：「難道人藏在隱秘處我就看不見了嗎？我豈不是充滿天地嗎？這是耶和華說的。 25我已聽見這些先知奉我的名所說的假預言，他們說，『我做了個夢！我做了個夢！』 26這些先知謊話連篇，憑空預言要到何時呢？ 27他們彼此傳講所做的夢，想藉此使我的子民忘記我的名，正如他們的祖先因祭拜巴力而忘記了我的名。 28讓做夢的先知儘管宣揚他們的夢吧，但得到我話語的先知要忠心地傳達我的話。糠秕怎能與麥子相比呢！這是耶和華說的。」 29耶和華說：「難道我的話不像火嗎？不像擊碎巖石的鐵錘嗎？」 30耶和華說：「看啊，我要對付那些假先知，他們盜用彼此的話，卻妄稱是我的話。」 31耶和華說：「看啊，我要對付那些假先知，他們妄自說預言，卻謊稱是耶和華的話。」 32耶和華說：「看啊，我要對付那些假先知，他們憑虛謊之夢說預言，並四處傳揚，用彌天大謊把我的子民引入歧途。其實我並沒有差遣他們，也沒有委派他們，他們對我的子民毫無益處。這是耶和華說的。」
33耶和華說：「耶利米啊，如果有百姓、先知或祭司問你，『耶和華有什麼啟示？』你要對他們說，『你們就是耶和華的重擔23·33 「重擔」希伯來文也有「啟示」的意思。，耶和華說要丟棄你們。』 34如果有先知、祭司或百姓宣稱有耶和華的啟示，我必懲罰他和他全家。 35你們各人要問自己的親友，『耶和華有什麼答覆？』或『耶和華說了什麼？』 36你們不可再說有耶和華的啟示，因為你們把自己的話當成祂的啟示，曲解我們永活的上帝——萬軍之耶和華的話。 37耶利米啊，你要這樣問先知，『耶和華有什麼答覆？耶和華說了什麼？』 38如果他們說，『這是耶和華的啟示。』你就說，『耶和華說，我警告你們不可宣稱有耶和華的啟示，你們卻偏偏宣稱有我的啟示， 39我必徹底忘記你們，把你們和我賜給你們及你們祖先的城邑拋棄。 40我要使你們永遠蒙羞受辱，難以忘懷。』」
The Righteous Branch
1“Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord. 2Therefore this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says to the shepherds who tend my people: “Because you have scattered my flock and driven them away and have not bestowed care on them, I will bestow punishment on you for the evil you have done,” declares the Lord. 3“I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and will bring them back to their pasture, where they will be fruitful and increase in number. 4I will place shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or terrified, nor will any be missing,” declares the Lord.
5“The days are coming,” declares the Lord,
“when I will raise up for David23:5 Or up from David’s line a righteous Branch,
a King who will reign wisely
and do what is just and right in the land.
6In his days Judah will be saved
and Israel will live in safety.
This is the name by which he will be called:
The Lord Our Righteous Savior.
7“So then, the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when people will no longer say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the Israelites up out of Egypt,’ 8but they will say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the descendants of Israel up out of the land of the north and out of all the countries where he had banished them.’ Then they will live in their own land.”
Lying Prophets
9Concerning the prophets:
My heart is broken within me;
all my bones tremble.
I am like a drunken man,
like a strong man overcome by wine,
because of the Lord
and his holy words.
10The land is full of adulterers;
because of the curse23:10 Or because of these things the land lies parched
and the pastures in the wilderness are withered.
The prophets follow an evil course
and use their power unjustly.
11“Both prophet and priest are godless;
even in my temple I find their wickedness,”
declares the Lord.
12“Therefore their path will become slippery;
they will be banished to darkness
and there they will fall.
I will bring disaster on them
in the year they are punished,”
declares the Lord.
13“Among the prophets of Samaria
I saw this repulsive thing:
They prophesied by Baal
and led my people Israel astray.
14And among the prophets of Jerusalem
I have seen something horrible:
They commit adultery and live a lie.
They strengthen the hands of evildoers,
so that not one of them turns from their wickedness.
They are all like Sodom to me;
the people of Jerusalem are like Gomorrah.”
15Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty says concerning the prophets:
“I will make them eat bitter food
and drink poisoned water,
because from the prophets of Jerusalem
ungodliness has spread throughout the land.”
16This is what the Lord Almighty says:
“Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you;
they fill you with false hopes.
They speak visions from their own minds,
not from the mouth of the Lord.
17They keep saying to those who despise me,
‘The Lord says: You will have peace.’
And to all who follow the stubbornness of their hearts
they say, ‘No harm will come to you.’
18But which of them has stood in the council of the Lord
to see or to hear his word?
Who has listened and heard his word?
19See, the storm of the Lord
will burst out in wrath,
a whirlwind swirling down
on the heads of the wicked.
20The anger of the Lord will not turn back
until he fully accomplishes
the purposes of his heart.
In days to come
you will understand it clearly.
21I did not send these prophets,
yet they have run with their message;
I did not speak to them,
yet they have prophesied.
22But if they had stood in my council,
they would have proclaimed my words to my people
and would have turned them from their evil ways
and from their evil deeds.
23“Am I only a God nearby,”
declares the Lord,
“and not a God far away?
24Who can hide in secret places
so that I cannot see them?”
declares the Lord.
“Do not I fill heaven and earth?”
declares the Lord.
25“I have heard what the prophets say who prophesy lies in my name. They say, ‘I had a dream! I had a dream!’ 26How long will this continue in the hearts of these lying prophets, who prophesy the delusions of their own minds? 27They think the dreams they tell one another will make my people forget my name, just as their ancestors forgot my name through Baal worship. 28Let the prophet who has a dream recount the dream, but let the one who has my word speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?” declares the Lord. 29“Is not my word like fire,” declares the Lord, “and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?
30“Therefore,” declares the Lord, “I am against the prophets who steal from one another words supposedly from me. 31Yes,” declares the Lord, “I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and yet declare, ‘The Lord declares.’ 32Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,” declares the Lord. “They tell them and lead my people astray with their reckless lies, yet I did not send or appoint them. They do not benefit these people in the least,” declares the Lord.
False Prophecy
33“When these people, or a prophet or a priest, ask you, ‘What is the message from the Lord?’ say to them, ‘What message? I will forsake you, declares the Lord.’ 34If a prophet or a priest or anyone else claims, ‘This is a message from the Lord,’ I will punish them and their household. 35This is what each of you keeps saying to your friends and other Israelites: ‘What is the Lord’s answer?’ or ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ 36But you must not mention ‘a message from the Lord’ again, because each one’s word becomes their own message. So you distort the words of the living God, the Lord Almighty, our God. 37This is what you keep saying to a prophet: ‘What is the Lord’s answer to you?’ or ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ 38Although you claim, ‘This is a message from the Lord,’ this is what the Lord says: You used the words, ‘This is a message from the Lord,’ even though I told you that you must not claim, ‘This is a message from the Lord.’ 39Therefore, I will surely forget you and cast you out of my presence along with the city I gave to you and your ancestors. 40I will bring on you everlasting disgrace—everlasting shame that will not be forgotten.”
